Competitions & Challenges 2025-2026

You can challenge yourself in various ways to go beyond the provincial curriculum.

We have curated a range of competitions and challenges across different disciplines and research fields. These opportunities are ideal for students who wish to deepen their understanding of subjects they are passionate about, as well as for those looking to develop leadership, public speaking, and entrepreneurial skills. The areas of exploration include science, business, mathematics, engineering, etc.

Canadian Chemistry Contest (CCC) & Canadian Chemistry Olympiad (CCO) 2026 – Registration Information

The Canadian Chemistry Contest (CCC) and the Canadian Chemistry Olympiad (CCO) are national chemistry competitions organized by the Chemical Institute of Canada for outstanding high school and CEGEP students who are passionate about chemistry. The CCC is typically targeted at the top 10% of high school students under 20 taking chemistry, while the CCO focuses on roughly the top 5% of these students and serves as the pathway to the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).​

Exam date, location, and registration deadline

• Contest name: Canadian Chemistry Contest (CCC) 2026

• Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 – Parts A, B, and C are all written on the same day

• Location: At school under teacher supervision or in an approved online proctoring environment

• Registration deadline: 12:00 noon (EDT) on Tuesday, March 31, 2026

The CCC is a written contest held once a year across Canada and abroad, designed to deepen students’ appreciation of chemistry and to promote excellence at the high school/CEGEP level. The exam typically includes demanding multiple‑choice and written‑response questions covering key areas of high school and early university chemistry such as atomic structure, periodic trends, bonding and molecular structure, stoichiometry, thermochemistry, equilibria, electrochemistry, acids and bases, kinetics, and introductory organic chemistry.

Relationship between CCC and CCO

The CCC is conducted in conjunction with the Canadian Chemistry Olympiad (CCO). Strong performance on the CCC and related CCO exams is used to identify top students who may be invited to further Olympiad‑level training and national selection activities, with the ultimate goal of choosing the Canadian team for the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO).

Graduate student volunteers for CCO training camps

The Canadian Chemistry Olympiad welcomes volunteer graduate students in all areas of chemistry to help train senior high school students at Olympiad training camps in May, June, and July 2025. Graduate volunteers typically present and explain Olympiad‑level chemistry problems, for example using the 2020 International Chemistry Olympiad preparatory problems as models. Interested graduate students are invited to contact the CCO organizers directly through the official CCO website.​

Who should participate ?

• High school or CEGEP students (generally under 20) who have completed or are currently enrolled in a senior‑level chemistry course

• Students who enjoy solving challenging chemistry problems and want to build strong analytical and problem‑solving skills

• Students planning to apply for university programs in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, medicine, environmental science, or related fields, and who wish to strengthen their academic profile through a prestigious national competition

How to register ?

Students who wish to participate in the 2026 CCC/CCO must register before the deadline and ensure they are available to write the exam on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. All exams must be supervised by an approved teacher or proctor, either in person at school or online under appropriate conditions.​

Please click the link below to complete the online registration form and confirm your exam and supervision arrangements: Click here to register                                                                                           

                                                                                To sign up for the contest click on this link